Jammu, Apr 18: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has &13; called for simplifying travel procedures across the line of control (LoC).
Mr Azad, addressing public meetings at Surankote and Mendhar, said the state &13; government would urge the Centre at the next roundtable on Kashmir at New Delhi &13; to relax norms for people on both sides of the LoC.
''We will be discussing how to make the travel easier and comfortable from &13; both sides of LoC. The Centre has already taken up the matter with Pakistan &13; that people of both sides of LoC should be allowed to visit religious places &13; besides facilitating cultural exchange, visits by students and mediapersons as &13; well as trade,'' he said.
Hailing the roundtable initiative, the Chief Minister expressed the hope that &13; all political parties, ethnic groups and opinion leaders from all the three &13; regions would participate in the conference. ''In about last 60 years, for the &13; first time a viable platform in the shape of roundtable conference has been &13; provided to address all issues,'' Mr Azad said.
He said a three-pronged strategy put in place to address all issues relating &13; to the strife-torn state has yielded encouraging results.
Mr Azad said not only the dialogue process between India and Pakistan was on &13; the fast track but development and restoration of normalcy in the state has &13; also recieved a considerable fillip.
In this connection the roads are being appropriately widened and upgraded.
''We would also like that Kargil-Skardu, Jhanggar-Mirpur Kotli and &13; Suchetgarh-Sialkote roads are opened for travel, tourism and trade,'' the Chief &13; Minister said.
The Chief Minister said improvement in relations between India and Pakistan &13; has restored peace in border areas, resulting in normal agricultural and other &13; activities.
Reiterating importance of peace in development process, Mr Azad said peaceful &13; and conducive atmosphere was a must for speedier and integrated development.
Urging people to maintain mutual amity and secular traditions, he said, &13; ''India's glory and strength is in its composite culture, secular ethos and &13; democratic values.'' The Chief Minister said a new meaning has been given to &13; development by introducing healthy work culture, accountability and monitoring.
''Liberal assistance by the central government and Prime Minister's Rs 24000 &13; crore package has catapulted state's development scenario. The impact of &13; massive development is visible on the ground in every area of the state,'' he &13; said.
UNI
Mr Azad, addressing public meetings at Surankote and Mendhar, said the state &13; government would urge the Centre at the next roundtable on Kashmir at New Delhi &13; to relax norms for people on both sides of the LoC.
''We will be discussing how to make the travel easier and comfortable from &13; both sides of LoC. The Centre has already taken up the matter with Pakistan &13; that people of both sides of LoC should be allowed to visit religious places &13; besides facilitating cultural exchange, visits by students and mediapersons as &13; well as trade,'' he said.
Hailing the roundtable initiative, the Chief Minister expressed the hope that &13; all political parties, ethnic groups and opinion leaders from all the three &13; regions would participate in the conference. ''In about last 60 years, for the &13; first time a viable platform in the shape of roundtable conference has been &13; provided to address all issues,'' Mr Azad said.
He said a three-pronged strategy put in place to address all issues relating &13; to the strife-torn state has yielded encouraging results.
Mr Azad said not only the dialogue process between India and Pakistan was on &13; the fast track but development and restoration of normalcy in the state has &13; also recieved a considerable fillip.
In this connection the roads are being appropriately widened and upgraded.
''We would also like that Kargil-Skardu, Jhanggar-Mirpur Kotli and &13; Suchetgarh-Sialkote roads are opened for travel, tourism and trade,'' the Chief &13; Minister said.
The Chief Minister said improvement in relations between India and Pakistan &13; has restored peace in border areas, resulting in normal agricultural and other &13; activities.
Reiterating importance of peace in development process, Mr Azad said peaceful &13; and conducive atmosphere was a must for speedier and integrated development.
Urging people to maintain mutual amity and secular traditions, he said, &13; ''India's glory and strength is in its composite culture, secular ethos and &13; democratic values.'' The Chief Minister said a new meaning has been given to &13; development by introducing healthy work culture, accountability and monitoring.
''Liberal assistance by the central government and Prime Minister's Rs 24000 &13; crore package has catapulted state's development scenario. The impact of &13; massive development is visible on the ground in every area of the state,'' he &13; said.
UNI
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